1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a snowboard on which one can glide on snow. More particularly, the present invention relates to a snowboard with a handle that includes a gliding plate having a gliding surface on its underside, the gliding surface having edges extending in the longitudinal direction thereof along the opposite lateral sides of the gliding plate, a rotary shaft mounted on the upper side of the gliding plate on its front side and having a central axis passing across the gliding plate, and a handle portion disposed on the upper side of the gliding plate, wherein the handle portion has grip portions on the top end thereof, and has its bottom end mounted pivotally to the rotary shaft so that the top end of the handle portion where the grip portions are located can swivel upwardly and downwardly around the rotary shaft by causing the bottom end to turn around the central axis.
2. Prior Art
A snowboard consists essentially of a gliding plate on which one can glide over snow-covered slopes. As shown in FIG. 6(a), for example, this gliding plate curves upwardly on its front side (the right side in FIG. 6(a)) and rear side (the left side in FIG. 6(a)). The snowboard is one of the snow sporting or playing goods like a ski, in that both are used to permit the user to glide over snow by standing on the middle of the upper side of the gliding plate.
The snowboard differs from the ski in that the former is smaller in length and much larger in width than the latter, and thus allows the user to place both of the legs on a single gliding plate.
Like the skier on the ski, the snowboarder on the snowboard can glide over the snow-covered slopes on a zigzag like the slalom. Because of its smaller length and larger width than the ski as described above, the user can glide on the snowboard more easily and more stably. For this reason, the snowboard is more familiar with beginners in particular than the ski. As the snowboarder becomes accustomed to using the snowboard, the snowboarder will be able to control the snowboard delicately by making movements of the legs and waist. As the snowboarder becomes more experienced, the snowboarder will be able to make the movements that are ever impossible with the ski.
When using the snowboard, the user usually glides on the snowboard by having the shoes fastened to a fastening device on the middle of the gliding plate. Although the snowboarder has his or her shoes or ankles fastened to the fastening device on the gliding plate, the snowboarder may lose the balance physically because the upper half of the body is left free. If the snowboarder is a beginner, it is thus not easy to keep the balance. As such, the snowboard may be more familiar than the ski, but it is still difficult for the beginner to control the snowboard as he or she desires.
In order to eliminate the problem described above, a snowboard that is equipped with a handle is proposed as disclosed in Japanese patent application as now published under No. 2001-310008. As described in this publication, the snowboard includes a gliding plate having a gliding surface on its underside, the gliding surface having edges extending in the longitudinal direction thereof along its opposite lateral sides, a rotary shaft mounted on the upper side of the gliding plate on its front side and having a central axis extending across the gliding plate, and a handle portion disposed on the upper side of the gliding plate. The handle portion has grip portions on its top end, and has its bottom end mounted pivotally to the rotary shaft so that the top end of the handle portion can swivel upwardly and downwardly around the rotary shaft by causing the bottom end to turn about the central axis.
The advantage of the snowboard with the handle described above is the improved easiness of operation since it permits the user to keep the physical balance by controlling the handle vertically and flexibly.
When gliding on the snowboard with the handle such as the one disclosed in the above publication, the snowboarder holds the top end of the handle with the bottom end of the handle being supported on the upper side of the gliding plate on its front side. Thus, the pushing force exerted downwardly by the snowboarder downwardly as well as his or her own weight tends largely to be conveyed to the snow through the handle and then through the front side of the gliding plate.
When the snowboarder is gliding over the snow-covered slopes on the zigzag like the slalom using such snowboard, there is a risk that those portions of the edges of the gliding plate along its opposite lateral sides that are located on the forward side of the point where the bottom end of the handle is supported on the gliding plate may go too deeply into the snow. If this occurs, it may be difficult for the snowboarder to glide down the snow-covered slopes while describing large curves. In worse cases, the edges may go so deeply into the snow that the edges cannot be removed from the snow, and the snowboarder would not be able to glide while tracing the curves as desired. In the worst case, the snowboarder might have to glide reversely, rather than gliding forwardly.
In riding on the conventional snowboard with the handle described so far, the snowboarder tries to draw the snowboard toward himself or herself while holding the handle. Thus, the snowboarder can glide over the snow with the forward end of the gliding plate being raised from the snow. It is not easy to learn to glide over the snow in that way, however. It may be easier for the snowboarder to glide in this way when gliding along the straight line, but cannot glide in that way when gliding over the snow-covered slopes on the zigzag like the slalom.